What does ExtraCare’s fundraising team do?

Catherine Duffield-Smith, ExtraCare’s Trusts and Foundations Fundraiser, explains the work of the fundraising team and how they support life in ExtraCare’s Villages and Schemes…

It takes extra special people to make ExtraCare!

I never cease to be amazed at the generosity of many and I am left in no doubt that it really does take extra special people to make ExtraCare. People may not even know us, our retirement villages and small housing schemes or our residents, but they give generously to make a difference!

ExtraCare’s charitable income is mainly derived from the generosity of many charitable trusts and foundations, as well as our charity shops. Funds received help to nurture and develop the range of support and services that are available for ExtraCare residents and others who use our Village facilities.

Income from our fundraising activities is specifically used to support more vulnerable residents.

Funds also support our research programme, which seeks to improve and develop our care services, both now and for the future generations that will one day make ExtraCare their home.

Two of ExtraCare’s major projects – the Well-being Service and Enriched Opportunities Programme were largely funded in their early years by donations from our fundraising activities.

June, from Hagley Road Village, has Alzheimer’s disease. She describes how the Enriched Opportunities Programme, supported by the fundraising team, has helped her.

In recent years, charitable income has also been used to purchase equipment in the gyms, either as trialling something new or to replace worn out and obsolete models. Other equipment purchased includes video magnifiers to aid people with poor eyesight, My Life computers to aid reminiscence for residents living with dementia, and sensory gardens and many other aids and equipment.

Funding has also been obtained for projects that require more structured support, such as music and dance therapies. All these activities and therapies taken together can help to improve the quality of life for many ExtraCare residents.

In the current economic climate, we are likely to see an increase in the need for charitable funding as cuts are made to statutory funding and investments remain at an all-time low.

However, it is important that we continue to offer continuity of care for the services and facilities that we provide to our residents for the long term and will continue to work hard and diversify our fundraising efforts to raise funds to support all our various programmes, training, therapies and activities.

Every gift of charitable income will help us achieve this.

For more information on fundraising at ExtraCare, please visit www.extracare.org.uk/donate or contact the Fundraising Team on 02476 506011!